Is Trump’s ‘negative mandate’ the lowest ever?
An analysis in the New York Times has given Donald Trump’s selection as US president among the lowest ‘mandates’ of popular support in US history. Times’ writers Jugal Patel and … Continue reading
US elections: Governor races
While most attention is focussed on the race for the White House, Americans in 11 states will also be electing their state Governors on November 8. Almost all US state … Continue reading
Donald Trump has another problem
If Donald Trump somehow ekes out a narrow win in the US presidential election, the presidency could still be snatched away from him by a handful of his Republican party … Continue reading
Leaders are made, not born
The leadership of political parties is vigorously contested in all democratic nations. Party leadership processes are – or recently have been – underway in the United States, Britain and Canada, … Continue reading
Australian Government’s uneasy club of marginal House backbenchers
As if the Turnbull government’s upcoming troubles with the newly elected Australian Senate were not enough to worry about, their own House of Representatives backbench will present even more anxieties … Continue reading
Australian government will have difficulties with new Senate
With the probable make-up of the Australian Senate becoming clearer, the balance of power looks grim for the government. Almost all the cross-bench factions will be able to veto government … Continue reading
Australians elect a Parliament, but not a government
The dust is not settling quickly on yesterday’s Australian election. Australians have elected a Parliament, but not an executive government. But then, under Australia’s constitutional system the voters never do … Continue reading
Spanish election solves nothing about government standoff
Last weekend’s re-run of elections for the Spanish parliament has yielded a result almost identical to the inconclusive December 2015 elections, which left the nation without an endorsed government for over six months. … Continue reading
Independent wins Austrian presidency
Independent candidate Alexander Van der Bellen has been elected as the next President of Austria by a slim 31,000 votes over the anti-immigrant Freedom Party’s Norbert Hofer. The result – … Continue reading
Irish government deal breaks new ground
Ireland’s new Fine Gael-Independent government is at last getting underway, 11 weeks after the February election. The new Enda Kenny Government has an apparently preposterous lack of parliamentary majority in the lower … Continue reading
On Elections 